PROVIDENCE – The state government’s official Web site, RI.gov, has signed a new contract with e-government firm NIC Inc. (Nasdaq: EGOV), state and company officials announced today.
The state’s first contract with NIC was signed in 2001 and expired on Aug. 7. The new contract, a three-year deal awarded through a competitive bidding process, includes a two-year renewal option that could extend the contract’s term through 2012.
“We’ve worked with NIC for six years, and the results speak for themselves,” John E. Landers, the state’s chief information officer, said in a statement today. “In that time, we’ve made doing business with the state of Rhode Island easier. We’ve put 170 state services online, including business-tax processing for 55 unique taxes. We’re happy to continue the partnership.”
The site will remain self-funded, with NIC continuing to be paid out of the transaction fees the RI.gov charges for some online services, state and company officials said in their joint announcement. The company receives no up-front payment for building and operating the site.
“We’re proud of our work for Rhode Island and appreciate the confidence the state showed by picking us again as its partner,” said NIC President Harry Herington. “We are looking forward to building on our track record of success in Rhode Island during the next five years.”
RI.gov currently attracts nearly 223,000 visits per month, NIC said, a 35-percent increase from the site’s traffic rate last year. It was a finalist for the Center of Digital Government’s 2006 Best of the Web award.
Recent additions to the site have included e-mail alerts, RSS feeds, PDA-ready contact data and downloadable meeting and event information.
RI.gov – the official Web site of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations – is a collaboration between the state and Olathe, Kan.-based NIC Inc., the e-government firm that develops and maintains the site and its services. To learn more about the company, visit www.nicusa.com. For information about Rhode Island, visit www.RI.gov.
